


Fictober18_Swtorprompts

by Iunara



Category: Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Canon-Typical Racism, Canon-Typical Violence, Canon-typical Slavery, Darth Malgus POV in chapter 17, F/M, Fictober18 challenge, Not part of the Darth Marr!Outlader AU series, Sith Politics, Some of them are not good, me writing myself into the story mostly, please let me know should I have missed an obvious one?, probably missed tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-22 20:40:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 21,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17066714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iunara/pseuds/Iunara
Summary: All the Darth Marr and Edenye prompts I wrote for the Fictober18 challenge. Since tumblr can swallow them easily.Either way, they are not part of the ongoing series I have as I just experimented with the premise during that month.More detailed warnings in the notes before the chapters





	1. 1. Can you feel this?

**Author's Note:**

> Link to the prompt list published on tumblr  
> [Fictoberchallenge18 prompt list](https://fictober-event.tumblr.com/prompts)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning:  
> Sith Emperor - Vitiate  
> Spoilers: Shadow of Revan, Yavin and Ziost

* * *

 

“Darth Nema,” a soft voice asked behind Edenye.

Sighing she turned around and saw Olyara, Barsenthor of the Jedi Order standing with her entourage behind her. Curious, she tucked the datapad she had been examining from an Imperial Officer under her arm and nodded for Olyara to continue. Formalities were no longer necessary, if they had even existed to begin with.

“A few Jedi have voiced their concern,” Olyara sounded like she was weighing her words carefully, “about the Wrath.”

This was going to be a tedious conversation. Waving the Imperial Officer away who bowed out hastily, she asked, “What are the concerns?”

Olyara shifted on her feet awkwardly, the veil over her eyes fluttering at the movement. Probably regretting becoming one of the chief diplomats of her order right now.

“They wonder if she is going to betray us all,” she finally pressed out.

A good thing Temare was not around to hear the insult leveled towards her.

“Then take it from me that she won’t,” Edenye stated cooly.

Olyara sighed at the response. Not the one she had been hoping for apparently. Too bad. It was all she _can_ get.

“You know they won’t be satisfied with that,” Olyara hissed quietly.

Edenye could only shrug. It was not her place to tell another Sith who was not directly under her what and where they could be.

“It will have to do,” she answered exasperated.

Jedi and their concerns…. She wanted to shake her head. One concern she really did not have to deal with right now.

“I tried to tell them that she has a lot to lose too,” Olyara said helplessly sounding as if she wanted to tear her hair out.

A motion Edenye understood too well. Well, she could be merciful and offer an answer that would get the Jedi of Olyara’s back. She better appreciate it.

“I can talk to her,” Edenye said emphasizing the word ‘talk’.

Olyara would know what she meant between the lines. Once she found Temare, she’d tell her about the sentiments, but would not restrict her movements and general presence. Hopefully it would silence those _concerns_ for a while. Long enough to establish a few lines that cannot be crossed.

The grateful nod she received told her that the meaning had been heard loud and clearly.

“Good,” she said taking the datapad back out from underneath her arms, “Anything else?”

“There is actually,” Olyara said.

_Please no_ … She cocked her head to the side to show she was still listening.

“Grandmaster Shan extends her wish to speak to you.”

Shocked, she stood there for several moments not reacting. Her? What did Satele want with her?!

“Darth Marr is the one she will most likely want to talk to about any…,” she started to talk and stopped when Olyara shook her head.

“She specifically stated that she wanted to talk to you,” she shrugged.

So even Olyara did not know what this was all about.

Before she could retort anything about being too busy or whatever, a ripple in the Force ran through them all. Not a ripple. A wave crashing into them more like. Both her and Olyara twitched at the strength of it. Confused she looked up, trying to sense where it come from.

Not Revan. No, this was dark, far too dark…

_The Emperor_ ….

Her feet carried her as if they had a separate mind. The surroundings melting into one blur as she rushed past Imperial and Republic troops alike. What she was consciously aware of next was her barreling towards Marr in a place she did not recognize. They must be alone, for in the next second she was in his arms. Both of them clutching on the other.

“Can you feel this?” she asked breathlessly.

Marr’s arms steadying her shoulders had tightened noticeably. He must have. Their emperor was getting stronger with each moment.

“There is no mistaking it,” he replied quietly drawing her closer.

If the former Emperor was regaining strength… Then Force have mercy on them all. Her cheek was pressed against Marr’s armour and her arms were slung around his middle. The cool metal numbed her skin on her cheek and through the cloth on her arms. Not that she cared. At this moment they both were steadying the other. Both of them needed it. Alone on this plateau on some cliff that were strewn all across Yavin. She looked up at him, masks hiding their faces, but she could feel his lost stare fixed on the tree tops below them. Lost in thought. Sighing, she looked down as well at the swaying trees.

What was Revan thinking?

What had the Jedi been thinking?

Messing with the Emperor only ever ended in disaster and now everyone was paying the price for it. And for what? A misguided belief it would defeat him? How foolish could one be? No. How could that many be that foolish? Yelling would not help either. Unfortunately. It was tempting to just rage against them. Though, it would no longer help if they even listened to her to begin with. So she stayed quiet. At least she was with Marr on a planet crawling with enemies in every corner. The only thing keeping her sanity intact at this moment.

The air had grown colder as the sun had set on the horizon painting the sky in a deep pink and orange. Her lungs expanded in the evening breeze rustling her cloak and his hood. For the moment it was the only sound between them. Enough for her.

“Do you think it will ever stop?” she asked quietly into the silence.

Her voice was almost lost in the sudden breeze that blew past them. But he had heard her, would always no matter what due to their bond.

“We cannot rest until it stops,” he replied, a determined edge in his tone.

“For Alathea,” he added in his thoughts and she heard it loudly and clearly.

Her heart clenched when a sense of longing washed over her briefly. They had to leave her behind on Dromund Kaas in their haste to get to Rishi. There had been no time to think about any arrangement other than Tolun watching over her either. Though, she’d rather not have her here. Not with the Emperor here.

“She is safe,” she felt herself saying.

More for the both of them than just for him. His gloved fingers stroked her cheek slightly as if to comfort her. Hiding anything from his was futile, he’d always know straight away. Just like she knew deep down that he’d rather hide the two of them away.

“He’ll go after you again,” he muttered.

“Not if we can prevent it,” she whispered back even with her gut tightening at the statement.

Who was she kidding at this point? Just her. Now she felt his eyes on her.

“He is too strong for the both of us alone. But if this alliance works…,” he trailed off and she caught the hopeful note floating in his head.

Daring to hope. She wanted to laugh. Maybe that was what will get them through this. _Despair was unbecoming of a Sith_ … What she’d give to have Malgus here with them still. He’d have liked what they had accomplished already. If only he had been more patient. Speaking of other Sith…

“Vowrawn sent a message,” she spoke up and she felt Marr shift on his feet, “he has sent additional troops. The vetting process is over now.”

“Good,” he replied relief colouring the word, “Maybe we can sleep easier tonight on that issue.”

Sleep… they’d both need it. After two days of cleaning out two bases of operations. The two abandoned temples were situated strategic enough to be of value, but staking them out and the space between them to set up a strategy table so they could meet the Republic halfway, _quite literally_. There was too little trust between them to be able to afford a shared base. Something they could never fix or even attempt to. Sleep was good.

Only they both made no move to go.

“Can we stay here?” she asked,” just…”

There was no need to say anything further. He had understood immediately. After tonight, they’d barely have any time alone for a long while. It was a delusion to think that this mission will take a few weeks. Months were more realistic. Who knew how long it will be in the end. Far too long to be away from Alathea for them.

His embrace tightened, his mask coming to a rest on the top of her braids just as she pushed her nose into his chest armour. It’d have to do for now. Too many unfriendly eyes at their base and shedding one piece of armour would only ask for trouble. Would give too much away should someone find their way to their relatively hidden spot.

“Once this is over,” Marr whispered into her hair, “you and I will stay on Dromund Kaas with Alathea for a while.”

She pushed her head into the space between his hood and mask. One thing her height was good for. It was as far she would go here, but she felt instinctively that he welcomed the closeness they could afford right now. He chuckled lifting her slightly so she stood on her toes.

“And we stay there for at least a week,” she insisted, “Pretending to be just your right hand is tiring.”

Now he was shaking with silent laughter. Her chest felt lighter at the reaction and she hummed in content. Maybe they could just pretend they were not close to where Revan was trying to wake their Emperor.

_I will return_ …

She froze, just as Marr stiffened. The air had dropped several degrees and coldness broke through her armour and she felt herself shivering. They had heard it and… she let go of Marr, eyes glued to the temple structure off to the distance. Where they all had felt him reside.

“No….,” she whispered and Marr’s hand on her shoulder felt heavy now.

The Emperor had gained far too much strength already. Enough to seek them out specifically. Force… she would be hunted down again. There was no way he’d let it slide that they had diminished his hold on the Empire.

Laughter filled her head.

_Dust blew past her nose…_

_Ash weighed down her eyes and filled her mouth. Choking her_.

Blinking she stumbled into Marr’s side, just as her knees buckled under the weight of her body. What had she just seen?! She felt Marr’s arm under her shoulders keeping her upright and standing with her right hand was grasping at his belt. Her shaking grew, rattling the clasps of her armour loudly now. There were no words for what had just happened. Not that she needed to voice them if they existed. He had sensed it, seen it too. Quiet horror filled their bond as she opened her mouth behind her mask in a silent scream.

That had been a threat. Aimed at just the two of them.

Their former Emperor was coming and with came _death_.


	2. 2. People like you have no imagination

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings  
> Sith Intrigue/Politics  
> Prejudice against former slaves  
> Thanaton is a bit OOC here, but still a massive jerk.

* * *

 

“People like you have no imagination!” Atrea snarled loudly now.

The grainy pixels of Darth Thanaton’s projection didn’t even flicker in a reaction. As if time and technology had stopped to take a breath for his response. Somehow it was for the better that he couldn’t see her and Marr in the background. For a brief moment the two of them looked at each other and she could sense the hidden laughter behind his mask just as she was sure he could sense hers. In a twisted way, it was funny. The gall to call a Dark Council member’s right hand to attempt to undermine the Councilor while the said Councilor was in the same room. It was decidedly hilarious. Especially since Marr seemed to play along too.

She lowered her head briefly to look down at the datapad that had been her focus before the call to put it quietly on the nearby table. The static crackle of the holo-com filled the room. Had her Master robbed Thanaton of his tongue?

What had he expected honestly? Another power thirsty Sith? Maybe he really needed to use his imagination more often to even consider other the possibilities! Or listen to the Kaas News more often. Otherwise he would not be making this ‘proposal’. She had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. Several times.

“I am making a fair deal,” Thanaton had finally regained his composure.

“Fair?!” Atrea barked back out an ugly laugh, “You are proving my previous point.”

Thanaton crossed his arms, staring at Atrea with a look that could only be described as patronizing. Now Marr’s shoulders were shaking in bitten back laughter.

“What you are offering me is an execution block if I were to even entertain your ludicrous notion!” Atrea’s steely stare could cut glass.

“Your Master, Darth Marr,” Thanaton said slowly and deliberately, “has _no_ regard for our traditions!”

Atrea drew herself up to her full height, back ram-rod straight. On the other side, she most likely towered over Thanaton. Edenye had to bite her lower lip harshly to prevent an audible giggle. At least Marr had a better grip on his amusement than her.

“What traditions?” Atrea spat in pure contempt.

The elder woman looked like she was entertaining a child, a _middle-aged_ child at that. Why Marr still hadn’t intervened yet was bordering on a deliberate drawing out of this confrontation. Clearly, he was enjoying this display. Seemed like this wasn’t the first time this had happened. Not with how angry and amused Atrea and Marr were respectively. Or how they had immediately known what to do without exchanging even a glance.

Edenye looked back at Marr whose amusement had finally fizzled out completely and now was staring at Thanaton. Contemplating. Maybe she’d ask Atrea later if that had happened a lot.

“By all rights, the promotion of Darth Lachris to Darth Ravage’s sphere disregarded all of the established rules!” Thanaton finally cried out sounding surprised that he had to spell it out.

Darth Lachris… Why was she not surprised that the woman stirred up all sorts of drama everywhere she went. Anger started to seep into Marr’s presence and she carefully stepped away from the table that was separating them.

“Maybe that is where she is suited best?” Atrea retorted annoyed.

“One does not just transfer spheres!” Thanaton protested.

Atrea shook her head now, not bothering to respond for a few moments.

“Obviously it _can_ be done,” she sounded bored now.

Edenye doubted Thanaton had anticipated the conversation going that way. Who was he dealing with all the time when doing these calls? Actually, she could imagine how that went. Sith jumping at the opportunity of a power grab from their Masters with his backing. As long as they pushed his ideas and agenda. Clever. If only Atrea was not a staunch idealist.

“You are on shaky ground, Atrea,” Thanaton suddenly said in a low tone.

The hair on Edenye’s neck stood on end. A threat. She looked over to Marr whose shoulders had stiffened under his armour as anger boiled so close to the surface that it would burn anyone touching him. He was going to step in at one point.

“You took a slave as an apprentice,” Thanaton continued unaware of the shifted mood on the receiving end.

Atrea’s face froze in an ugly snarl, hatred coiling in tendrils around her shoulders. Edenye’s fingers started to grasp at the more important datapads that they could not afford to break right now. Then the room grew ice-cold, the heat sucked straight out and into the two raging Sith near her. But… she shifted on her feet as she gathered the pads into her arms, hadn’t Malgus told her that her being a former slave would no longer matter if she survived Korriban? This was an insult to her Master because of her. Her stomach tightened in her silent fury.

“I would be very careful what you say,” Atrea finally said quietly, but the venom was practically dripping from her teeth, “After all I can distinctively remember who had begged the Council years ago to disregard his former slave status.”

Before Thanaton could retort however, Marr decided to cut the pretenses and stepped into the projection zone.

“Darth Marr,” Thanaton growled.

“Thanaton,” Marr hissed in response, “I would appreciate it if you spent your time more on your sphere than in the current war effort.”

Thanaton didn’t even deem him with an answer as he disconnected the call. Only then did Edenye dare to breathe freely again when the blue hue disappeared. The datapads in her arms still dug uncomfortably deep into the skin of her fingers and she had to stretch them to lessen the ache building up in them.

Marr brushed past her out of the room with the force of a supernova about to set off. Flinching out of his way she stared after him long after the blast doors had slid shut. A sigh from Atrea made her turn around again.

“Once you take my place, you will have to deal with these power plays too,” Atrea sounded tired now, a few white hairs had gotten loose from her pristine braids.

“Yes, Master,” she replied then after a brief moment, “How often does this happen?”

“Too many times,” Atrea shook her head, “One would think we were not at war!”

Edenye nodded, tongue tied. Atrea glanced at her for a moment.

“You are a good apprentice, better than I had hoped for,” the older woman suddenly said softly.

This was new… surprised she blinked at her Master whose eyes hardened in the next moment.

“But promise me,” Atrea said quietly now hands grasping her shoulders, “that you will never ever grasp for power at the price of destabilizing the Empire.”

Weight settled into her chest, constricting her lungs as the meaning of what had just been said hit her. With a closed throat she looked at the blood-red eyes imploring her silently. She had to swallow heavily to clear the blockage.

“For the Empire,” she whispered.


	3. 3. How can I trust you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was inspired by the BBC Merlin Production (Season 1) where Merlin drank from a poisoned cup.  
> Darth Malgus featured briefly  
> Warnings:  
> Sith Politics/Intrigue  
> Poison  
> Force Visions

* * *

 

Why did Sith gatherings have to be so formal? So many opulent dresses were swishing and head dresses glinting in the light, as they moved through the hall. Not a place for a mere Apprentice, that was for sure. Only Lords and Darths could attend a meeting between three Dark Council members. Or visibly attend. She was part of the security detail for Darth Marr. As if the man needed security…. Who was dumb enough to try and fight him?

Her eyes landed on her Master who was stalking through the lines of Sith chattering animatedly. Ever the loyal right hand. Even in her regalia, she looked like she was ready to pounce on anyone who even dared to twitch in the wrong direction. Which officially was her job. Though, Atrea was the public face while she had to skulk in the shadows. _Apprentices should not be seen when an open Dark Council meeting was being conducted_. It made her roll her eyes. As if she was the only apprentice present right now. _Lord_ Quet had laughed into his caf when she had complained to him about it. That smug bastard was now dancing with his husband and occasionally twirled past her shooting her teasing winks. He knew he had just been promoted in time for the invitation. Hopefully he was fine with paying the next few rounds of her caf bean needs. Which will incidentally increase… _miraculously_.

Grumbling she swept her eyes over the masses from her position. Nothing suspicious so far. Not even a tiny ripple in the Force. Sighing, she looked over to Darth Marr’s seat on a dais where the Councilors were all seated. At least she could sneak to the dais if there was a need to. _Have to obey the traditions of the Sith_ , Thanaton’s whiny voice echoed in her mind and she cringed. Force, at least the insufferable man did not deem this important enough to attend.

She saw Malgus now approaching Mortis, Marr’s masked stare glued to his back. Of course he’d use the occasion to talk to Mortis about the alien-laws. An issue he knew he had the support from Marr and Vowrawn, if only the rest of the Council and the Moffs saw their way. It would not help her anymore, her one purple eye giving her away for everyone to see. Masks were a good thing. Though, the way Malgus was crossing his arms already, the conversation was not going the way he liked. Even Atrea now looked over to the exchange.

A slight ripple flashed through her mind and she snapped her head. Carefully she shifted to another pillar, closer to Marr remaining unseen by the other Lords. The thread of the ripple was gone now, dispersed in the air before she could grasp it. Just then her gut twisted harshly.

Stars, no no. Not now! Why a vision at this time and place? She went to her knees, still pressed against the pillar as a numbing tingling spread from her head to her chest and arms. She could only hope that Atrea sensed it happening.

_A cup materialized in front of her, bloody seeping from the edges of it. Muck suddenly appeared under her feet, holding her in place, dragging her arms down into it. She was down in to her elbows, when her fingers hit a hard object. Now she grasped at it. It was large and heavier than she thought, but still she managed to drag it up._

_Not an object. A person. Darth Marr laid in front of her, the muck still trying to drag him down with only her grip on him keeping him up. But then… he was yanked down, away from her grasp._

_The moment her fingers slipped from him, the muck lit on fire. Burning her alive._

Two hands were steadying her shoulders when she came to again, panting harshly behind her mask. Quet kept her pinned to the pillar, out of view from everyone. The tingling receding from her arms still, she blinked up to him as he stared down at her.

“Atrea is on her way,” he merely said eyes shifting briefly to the masses behind her.

Her mouth was bone dry with her tongue sticking to the roof of it.

“How bad was it?” Quet asked quietly still holding her up.

She shook her head slightly, words not even making their way from her mind to the throat. Everything was so fuddled still.

“Apprentice,” Atrea was now at her side, kneeling down in her gown.

A glass of cool water was pressed against her lips and the liquid finally loosened her tongue.

“Master,” she finally rasped out, “Darth Mar… his cup is poisoned.”

The two in front of them stiffened. Quet stood up letting her slink to the side to Atrea who caught her around the shoulder. If Darth Marr was targeted, then Vowrawn might be too. Then he was gone, probably on his way already to his Master. Atrea leaned down to her then.

“How can I trust you?” she asked seriously.

Their code in case anyone overheard. _How do you know_? She had to think for a moment about their pre-determined answers, her head still fuzzy in parts.

“As much as you can trust that there is a storm on Dromund Kaas,” she said now regaining some control over her voice.

 _Vision was very clear_.

Atrea’s mouth pinched into a thin line, lips disappearing. Slowly she got up, patting dust off her dress that had gotten onto the fabric.

“Get to Marr’s table,” she instructed pulling Edenye up by her arm and then implored seriously, “and wait for my orders there. Do not talk unless spoken to.”

Then she walked off, the skirt behind her fluttering at the movement. Shakily, she made her way to the next pillar still in the shadows as she made her way to the table where Marr was talking to Vowrawn. Mortis was still speaking to Malgus a bit further away from the two. The less people heard about this the better. She reached the pillar that was just next to Marr’s seat when Atrea stepped onto the dais, drawing the two set of eyes from Marr and Vowrawn on her. Where was Quet? Frowning she scanned the people around them and saw him being held up by two other Sith Lords. Ones she could not recognize or any allegiance. Insignia were missing. How had they missed this when they had gotten in?! Black cloth covered armour. Not unusual with most Sith in attendance having some piece of armour on still. Those two must have had an invitation and insignia when coming now, if only she could remember whose sphere they belonged to....

“My Lord,” Atrea stood beside Marr now, her back turned to her but she could still see most of the things on the table.

There was the cup. Ceremonially opulent and frankly she knew that Marr hated it.

“Atrea?” Marr leaned his head to her head where she was hovering.

Just then she noticed another Sith Lord standing at the front of the table, face drawn in an annoyed expression. They must have burst into his petition or boot licking. Atrea spoke so quietly that she could not hear it anymore, but the alerted motion of Marr’s head told her that the warning had been relayed. Vowrawn’s eyebrow ridges had drawn together in suspicion and tapped the table three times.

What was going on?

“My Lords?” the Sith Lord asked, confusion ringing true and genuine.

Could it be that she was wrong? Frowning from her spot, she looked back to the offending cup. Would a first if the visions were wrong this once. Marr waved slightly with his hand at Atrea. Panicked she stared at her Master’s back who now stood slightly behind Marr, straight back and a stoic face.

“I got word that this is poisoned,” Marr said evenly.

The Lord’s face froze.

“I can assure you that Darth Mortis oversaw the cups personally…,” he started but trailed off when the two Councilor’s fixed him with two furious stares.

“Get him here,” Vowrawn ordered sternly and the man scurried off hastily steering straight towards Mortis.

It took them less than ten seconds to return, the returning Lord’s face pale while Mortis looked like he wanted to rip someone’s head off. Great. Three pissed off Councilors. No one had noticed quite yet what was going on. Except Quet who was now shaking off one of the two who were holding him back. She should help, if it wouldn’t provoke a scandal which they could not afford at the moment. Only when it was obvious that they were disturbing the settled peace and they were only keeping Quet from moving closer.

“What is going on?” Mortis hissed at the other two.

“We heard that the cup is poisoned and that you personally oversaw them before this event,” Vowrawn explained curtly.

“That is preposterous,” Mortis spat, “How dare you accuse me of sabotaging the Empire?”

“We are not accusing anyone of anything,” Marr intervened coldly, “but we cannot disregard any intel either.”

“Then your intel is wrong,” Mortis deadpanned, “I and my most trusted Lords supervised its casing. Who is this accuser?”

Atrea stiffened considerably as Marr froze. They had not anticipated that demand. One they could not refuse publicly.

Knowing she was breaking so many rules right now, she stepped into the light.

“I did, my Lord,” she said glad that her voice wasn’t showing how strained her nerves were right now.

Blood-red eyes were trained on her. Atrea’s face blanched a sickly colour as if she was going to be sick any time soon.

“I hope you understand the gravity of your accusation?” Mortis launched straight into his furious reprimand.

As if it was going to stay with that. No, she’d die tonight.

“My Lord,” Atrea finally tried to intervene, “Forgive my apprentice….”

“You should have taught your apprentice better, Darth Atrea,” Mortis snapped back and Atrea shut up.

Marr was silent, but she could sense that he was bristling underneath his armour. There was nothing he could do for her right now, not even Vowrawn would be able to. Now she was under Mortis’s jurisdiction at her admission.

“Do you rescind your accusation?” Mortis asked, “Otherwise I will ask you to prove your claim.”

“How do you wish for me to prove my claim?” she asked, hot and cold flushing down her spine.

Mortis glared at her for a moment, furious that she was not backing down or retracting her accusation. It was either her or Marr. And they needed him on the battle lines. Not her. She was expendable.

“Drink,” Mortis ordered grinning.

She hesitated. That was unusual. Slowly she raised her hands to unclasp her mask, pulling it off her face. Not breaking eye contact with Mortis, she grabbed the cup and with one gulp swallowed it all. Shock emanated openly from Mortis, his eyes wide open as she stared back defiantly.

Nothing happened and Mortis’ eyes hardened considerably as he stared down.

“You foolish…”

Until pain speared up from her stomach making her wince. It twisted her spine into a painful angel as her hands clawed on her throat. Blood flooded her mouth, nose… she could feel it leaking out. Knees grew weaker and they crashed to the floor. The metallic taste sending her head spinning.

Shouting erupted around her, the hiss of blades snapping to life somewhere to her side. Then her shoulder impacted on the cold stone floor, arms falling from her throat as strength had left them. Just then a set of hands turned her around and she looked up, Atrea’s face swimming out of focus above her just as Marr’s lightsaber was held even further up.

Were they saying something?

There was water rushing in her ears. Burning lava sunk into her veins just as daggers stabbed into her lungs. Then she drowned in darkness with pain and only silence as her companion.


	4. 4. Will that be all?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bergeren, Republic Invasion  
> Warning:  
> middle finger to a Jedi

* * *

 

That had been too close. Edenye exhaled the breath she had been holding for an eternity. How many Jedi had they deployed to take over Bergeren? Apparently they were enough to walk the occasional patrol through the streets. How they had not sensed them? A Dark Councilor and his right hand. Or were they not suspecting anything? No retaliation?

“Look at them,” Marr growled into her hair, “strutting around like they have already won.”

She tilted her head up and had to re-adjust her position against the wall. In their haste, they had crammed themselves into a narrow alley. So narrow that she stood flatly on his toes, but out of view from anyone on the main street. The brown robe of the Jedi could be heard fluttering in the wind that had started a few hours ago.

Carefully she peaked around the corner of the house’s wall. A lone Jedi. The hilt of her lightspear hidden underneath her tunic was more acutely felt. One less Jedi, she narrowed her eyes at the back of the retreating Jedi. It was tempting. How dare they pose as liberators?

“Not yet,” Marr’s voice in her right ear brought her back, “Soon.”

Looking back, she had to swallow. His face was close. They had to fix his mask. Soon. Running around with a hooded tunic was dangerous. Every time someone tried to look closer at his face, she ran in danger to reveal them when she _persuaded_ them to look the other way. Tolun had mentioned the Jedi knowing there were two powerful Force users in this city. Hence the patrols.

Also why they were out so late. Less people meant less using the Force. Only they could not be seen by the Jedi. They’d be stopped to ask what their business was so late at night. She opened her mouth to retort when Marr’s head snapped up and his hand came to rest on the wall right next to her face. Too close. Heat flushed her cheeks. Force… Would her body behave normally for once?

“More on their way,” he whispered, “we might have to go another way.”

She grumbled. Of course there were more. They were not exactly subtle in the Force either. What had she expected? Something to go their way? Smooth flying? Groaning quietly, she looked down the alley they had crammed themselves in. A dead end. But, her eyes flitted up the walls, enough bumps on the surrounding house walls to scale it and maybe hop onto a different road.

“We can climb the walls,” she muttered jerking her head in the direction.

“And if they look in here they’ll know we are running from them,” Marr thought out loud.

“Any other options?” she asked with an eyebrow raised in challenge.

He smirked now, eyes twinkling in mischief. That meant she would either hate it or adore the plan that was taking form in his head.

“In exactly a minute, a Jedi will walk past,” he murmured into her ear, hot breath raising the hair on the side of her neck.

“Yes?” she asked swallowing heavily.

Would he please stop doing that? It was messing with her. Knots formed in her stomach, when the hand that had been previously on the wall next to her face, landed on her waist.

“You and I will pretend to be doing _things_ ,” he was restraining himself, but she knew laughter was rumbling in his chest.

“Will that be all?” she deadpanned, letting herself be turned away from the wall.

Now Marr’s back was to the street and she was completely barred from view of anyone walking past.

“Just put your arms around,” he urged her.

When she slipped her arms around his neck, she felt the hair on her arms rising as the presence of another Jedi drew close. Marr ducked his head down, his forehead resting on hers. Her throat was dry again and her eyes dropped to his mouth.

Someone coughed behind them.

“Flip him off,” Marr whispered just above his breath.

She wanted to laugh out loud now, her mouth already curling into a wide smile. So this was why they did the whole posturing. Another cough and she stepped onto her toes to get a better hold onto Marr’s back.

A younger man in the dull brown robes of the Jedi stood in the entrance of the alleyway looking uncomfortable. His eyes found hers, a relieved look spreading across his face. Not for long. Straight faced she flipped the man off. The man’s face was worth every risk they had just undertaken.  

“I am sorry,” he stammered out, awkwardness radiating from the poor boy, “I will be on my way. Curfew has been installed a few minutes ago.”

She kept the hand in its gesture and shot him a look that screamed ‘What about this do you not understand?’. The Jedi left in a huff. Only then did she dissolve in silent laughter that shook her whole body.

“Feel better?” he asked into her ear as he had bent over her.

“Immensely,” she grinned up at him which was answered with a short tilt of his mouth.

“Good,” he ghosted his lips over her forehead before stepping away.

She felt herself moving with him until she stopped herself.

“You said it yourself,” he said then, “we will need to climb that wall.”


	5. 5. Take what you need

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings:  
> Darth Atrea's death  
> Effects of being a former slave - starvation

* * *

 

“You have concerns?” Marr asked Tolun who had slipped into his office after Edenye had left for her daily tasks.

The death of Atrea was visibly weighing her down with how her shoulders constantly were pressed down. It was not his place yet to question how she was coping with the grief. As far as he could see and could pretend to know was that she had thrown herself into the duties as his right hand. How grief and guilt clung to her every step and thought was another thing he could not even say out loud. Lord Tytonus had still spies in their ranks. Flushing them out had a lesser priority with the Republic’s renewed efforts to retake the outlying systems of Imperial space. Showing any sign of having that bond with her will leave them vulnerable.

“Yes,” Tolun confirmed pulling out a small datapad from the pocket of his officer jacket, “Her medical records are becoming concerning.”

He raised an eyebrow underneath his mask, “How so?”

“Drastic loss of weight, loss of upper body strength… mineral and vitamin deficiencies are increasing and not decreasing like before,” Tolun read out.

“Any condition or illness?” he asked, leaning back in his chair putting down the report he had been given from Edenye.

Losing his right hand Sith before the war’s end was a hard enough blow to swallow, he could not waste another who was trained in handling the work load. Regardless of his attachment to her. That was still robbing him of sleep on how to deal with it appropriately….

It could not interfere with the Empire’s defense, even if it made his chest hurt. Damn Force bonds.

“None,” Tolun shook his head, “she is starving.”

Now he frowned. Starving? There was plenty of food around? Not good. How had he not sensed it? Hunger was painful and he had sensed no pain in the weeks since the burial. Why could nothing go smoothly and like it was intended?

“Concerning,” he forced out after a moment’s silence staring at the officer that served her for years now, “Suggestions?”

The next debriefing was towards the evening, Edenye sorting out various datapads on top of his desk as he finished off his last orders to the Moffs at various defensive postings. Something he no longer could share the amount of with Edenye. The Council had refused to grant her the title of Darth, only promoting her to Lord. It meant she had no authority to command the Sith Lords and their respective Moffs on his behalf.

Not yet anyways. That would come still. She was powerful enough, if only her visions could be controlled more tightly. Last time she had been passed out in her chambers for two days. Neither could he sit next to her in that time keeping them down until they vanished. He had to be on the bridge almost at all hours these days. Except for when he _needed_ to sleep.

If Edenye had noticed the bowl filled with food towards the side of the chamber, she had not reacted to it. Visibly at least, but the longing was there. Buzzing at the back of his skull, travelling down to his stomach. Almost as soon as she had entered too with disorganized braids and dark circles under her eyes. Now it was nagging at his stomach now. A phantom feeling leaking over the bond.

A former slave. He should have known that for her it had been normal to go without food for days on end. Coupled with a larger work load, grief and… the bond, he could not really blame her for forgetting. Tolun had suggested putting bowls of various foods around the stronghold and their chambers on his flagship. A simple solution.

It was rather amusing to see her slowly shifting towards the bowl. One moment she favoured one leg and then in the next she was a step closer.

A beeping tore his attention away from the slowly gravitating Edenye to the holo-com. Emergency transmission from the Ashas Ree system. He had to turn away to take the call, a Moff requesting more ships as an attack was imminent.

When the call ended and he had ordered his own fleet to jump into hyperspace to join the defense of Ashas Ree, he turned around again. Tolun had the right idea it seemed. Edenye was practically devouring the food that had been in it. Eyes went wide and her face froze mid-chew when she noticed his eyes on her.

“Take what you need,” he simply said waving her obvious question off before it was blurted out.

The small smile she gave him released tension in his neck muscles that he hadn’t noticed. Good. They could return to the important things finally.


	6. 6. I've heard enough. This ends now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning  
> Sith Politics/Intrigue  
> Death by Electrocution

* * *

 

“I challenge _you_ , Lord Edenye Scyne, to a duel. May the Darth Marr see that _I_ am worthier of your position,” the Sith Lord ended his little speech in a grand arm gesture.

How dare this little up-start… her knuckles were white as she gripped at the holo-table that transmitted the challenge. Open channel too. All of Kaas City knew about it now, by tonight the news would devour this piece for at least an hour. With the war over the holo-vision channels were teeming with Sith politics and drama. As if Imperial citizens had nothing better to do….

She stared at the tiny holo-gram of the challenger in front of her as he waited for her answer. If she could only kill the man now for his insolence but a duel did have rules she had to adhere to. One was that she had to answer the challenge. Leaning forward, she hit the button that would start transmitting.

“I accept,” she replied calmly.

“Location will be Kaas City main hall in two days,” Lord Phern flashed her a smirk that maybe in his mind was supposed to be threatening.

“Fine,” she waved him off.

Lord Phern bristled and he was about to retort before something behind the transmission caught his eye stopping him. After all, no rules were laid out on how to treat the challenge in itself within in the response. She smiled dismissively back and Phern cut the connection in an indignant huff.

Darth Marr was present, as he had to bear witness as was laid out by Phern. His seat was well on the side-lines of the arena where he sat seething in silent fury. She knew that he was close to blasting this Lord Phern into a pile of ashes. If it would not reflect back on her… No she had to fight every single duel.

Her challenger was being late, leaving her standing in the circular arena to be gawked at by many other Sith and military personnel that were invited. A spectacle. One Vowrawn had not deemed to miss. He stood somewhere on the upper balconies while Quet stood to her side as if to show who else was supporting her. Rather obvious, even for Vowrawn.

Phern walked in parting the amassed crowd in his path. His lightsaber was already in his hand, dangling between his fingers. _You are no match_ , he was saying openly. She shifted her weight, pulling out her light spear, setting the end on the floor. The _tock_ hushed the muted chatter in the room before Phern had reached the sidelines.

 _See? You can make them move out of your way but I command their attention_.

Two can play this game.

He stepped into the ring as all eyes were now glued on them in a deafening silence. Not as confident as before, but his chin was still raised in defiance. She felt herself grinning under her mask now. This upstart was right where she wanted him to be.

* * *

 

The duel was over quickly. Far too quickly for all the bravado that been put to light on his part. Had he seriously thought that she, the right hand of Darth Marr, could not fight as well as him? Disgraceful…. She held the blade to her side, looking down on the man who now knelt on the floor clutching his stomach which was smoking from her slash across it.

If it only would shut him up. But since Marr was also the judge she had to wait for his signal to execute.

A tinge of amusement wafted over from where Marr was when he asked pointedly, “Any last words, Lord Phern?”

 “You favour her,” Phern growled eyes flashing in manic glee as if he had just tasted untold power, “A former slave!”

She looked to Marr who had stood up to walk over to where they stood. His steps were even and calm, but that was the calm before the storm. Beneath the façade he was boiling in anger at the sheer waste of his time. No word was said, the air prickled in building up electrical charge.

“An _alien_ ,” Phern now cackled, falling onto his stomach twisting on the floor, “and all of you just watch as he favours an….”

A collective gasp went through the mass. Eyes were now glued on her back, thankfully her eyes were obscured by her mask so they could not see the one purple eye in her otherwise human face. He let out an ugly choke, spit dripping onto the floor.

“Silence,” Marr thundered his hand stretched out to choke the fool, “I have heard enough. This ends _now_.”

Lightning crackled and a smoke pile of burnt clothes was all that was left of another contender for Atrea’s seat.


	7. 7. No worries, we still have time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No warnings.  
> Fluff

* * *

 

Pink beams of light from the sun rise fell through the window in his chambers, throwing half-shadows off his furniture. Morning already? Blearily he blinked into the soft light as he stretched his legs out which had curled around Edenye in their sleep. Calm quiet resting in their bond. No visions, just sleep. Her chest was still rising in deep and even breaths, her eyelids moving rapidly. Still dreaming. Huffing out a small smile, he dropped his forehead into the mass that was her hair. Good. No frantic clawing at her skin or disorientation when she woke up. Just some rest.

One of his arms was draped over hers, his thumb stroking the skin of her exposed stomach absentmindedly. He should let her sleep. Their duties would call them soon enough and it was the only time he could just hold her. These moments were far in between now with the war.  

Turning his head without letting go, he looked over to the nightstand towards his back. Where the datapad was that would hold any messages aimed at him. It was not blinking for once with any urgent messages from any the positioned fleets. Seeing the absent blinking was relieving and he felt the tension in his shoulders drain at the sight. No scrambling to reinforce defensive positions for once and no pretending. Exhaling a long breath, he shifted back into his previous comfortable and warm position. They would still have a while before having to get up.

Edenye sighed into the silence, her body deflating and he lifted his head to see her eyes fluttering open.

He pressed a brief kiss to her bare shoulder.

She yawned in response before answering sleepily, “Hey.”

Her hand clasped his on her stomach keeping it there intertwining their fingers.

“No messages?” she asked rubbing her eyes with her free hand as she turned onto her back to face him.

He shook his head and dropped his head on the pillow again, “None.”

She smiled back, “For once.”

He chuckled, drawing her closer so she was nose-to-nose with him.

“We still have time,” he whispered, “at least an hour.”

Warmth spread from his chest to his toes when her eyes lit up in joy. Her arm snuck around his waist, hand splayed flatly on his lower back. Shifting he cupped her jaw and put the other hand underneath her neck holding her shoulders. Skin against skin. Tingling broke out from where he touched her, spreading from his head, arms to his stomach pooling into a ball of heat.

Her mouth opened slightly, her exhale washing over his nose just as his eyes dropped to her lips. When was the last time they had a while to just stay in the other’s arms? Months ago. Far too long. Slowly he kissed her, causing her to sigh into his mouth. His thumb was now on her cheekbone stroking it when they broke apart.

“How long until the first message?” she asked, lips moving against his.

“Don’t swear that down,” he muttered, giving her a peck.

“I…,” another peck, “Just…,” another, “Mar…,” another, “ _grmpf_.”

He grinned against her mouth when she felt a slight punch on his forearm. There was not enough force in it to even tickle. His body shook as he laughed at her rather lackluster protests. Oh, she was so easy to throw off. Then again, only he knew how and could do it. Small joys he allowed himself when no one was looking.

“Marr,” she finally wrenched herself free, “I swear to the…”

“You swore to the Force last night too,” he muttered huskily into her ear and her face grew red in an instant.

She dropped her head against his forehead in defeat now, blowing air through her mouth. Only her eyes shone brightly. The brown and the white glimmering in hidden amusement. This round he won.

“Then let’s hope your Sith can be autonomous for once and not scream for your help at every pin drop,” she joked back raising an eyebrow at him.

He nudged her nose with his, “Come on now. Pin drops can be dramatic.”

The eyeroll she gave him was impressive.

“You better hope there is none soon then,” she winked at him, her hands tugging at his shirt.

Oh… he was.


	8. 8. I know you do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning  
> Sith Politics/Intrigue  
> Darth Baras

* * *

 

For such a harsh world, Dromund Kaas had breath-taking sunsets. Maybe it was the case just where Marr’s stronghold was. In the upper northern hemisphere where the jungles had long stopped growing, with the stronghold set up in a mountain near a large sprawling tundra. When they were in Kaas City, she never really saw the sun sets from the Citadel. Their work would last until the early hours of the morning if they were needed there. For now she could admire the glittering of the fallen snow in the setting sun. Almost enough to make her forget that they had just returned from Bergeren and that war was looming beyond the horizon. Tonight they could just rest and by the end of the week they’d be at the parade that was currently being planned. Vowrawn meddling with the tapestry that was supposed to be displayed again and she could already hear the newly appointed Darth Baras raging at them. Those two had been at each other’s throats the second Darth Baras was given the seat. A seat that Marr would not have given to Baras.

The skin on her shoulders prickled. Speak of the man and he shall appear. She looked over her shoulder to see Marr stepping into her chambers with his armour and mask still on. Must have left as soon as the transmission to the rest of the Dark Council.

“Were they being tedious?” she asked fully turning around.

He sighed while rolling his shoulders and growled, “Baras….”

She smiled sympathetically at him as he lifted his hands to remove the mask. Even with the hood still up, she could see the exhaustion lines around his forehead.

“What did he blather on this time?” she asked stepping towards him.

“Edenye,” he rubbed his forehead, “I’d rather not think about that right now.”

She frowned up at him, arms stopped mid-movement. Where was this coming from?

“Not now. _Later_ ,” he amended quickly leaning forward to lean his forehead against hers, “We finally have some space.”

“That we do,” she answered now gripping at his shoulders, “next week is the parade.”

He huffed, “Vowrawn has completely overtaken the preparations.”

She rolled her eyes now grinning, “Why am I not surprised?”

“Would not be Vowrawn if it wasn’t,” he teased, “But not what I want to talk about.”

“What do you have in mind?” she asked craning her neck.

He did not answer, stepping away gently prying her hands of his shoulders. Confused she stared at him, heart now burning painfully in her chest. What was he doing? Or more… should she be worried? Clasping her hands in front of her chest she watched as he took out a small headpiece from one of his chest pockets.

Oh.

“I don’t know if Atrea ever explained to you what her headpiece meant?” he asked cautiously looking her straight in the eyes as if searching for something.

She shook her head. Atrea had worn her headpiece everywhere. Mostly to formal functions. But never had she said why. Neither had she asked.

“It is an old tradition,” he explained holding the piece in the light, small stones sparkling in the incident light, “If a Sith was…,” he paused, “wanted to show their commitment to their partner, they’d gift them a piece jewelry or in the case of Purebloods face jewelry.”

She swallowed. That meant…

“And you are giving me one,” she stated lamely.

He shot her a small smile holding the piece to her, “It belonged to my mother.”

Her chest felt light when she reached out her hands to grasp his. There were other things he wanted to say, the words buzzing between them.

“And now it belongs to you,” he said pressing the piece into her hands, closing his hands around hers.

Her throat had closed up, words failing her. It had simple design, but it must have cost a fortune to have it made nonetheless.

“Thank you,” she breathed out looking him in the eyes.

He stepped closer, embracing her so her ear was against his throat.

“I…,” he started before being interrupted by a beeping on her desk.

Groaning he dropped his face into the top of her hair. Her stomach sank in disappointment when he let go, stepping away so they were appropriately apart and so he could put his mask back on for whoever was calling them. The loss of contact tore at the bond and she wanted to rub her arms with how heavy her shoulders felt.  

She pressed the button to receive the transmission and bowed out of her chambers when a pixelated Baras appeared.

Later, when everyone had passed out from exhaustion, she slipped into Marr’s chambers when she knew that the late night Council session had ended. Why another had been called so late she did not know. Except that Darth Baras had called it. The way fury sparked in the bond during the session, it could only mean that it was not good. As if any of those sessions had anything good coming out of them. He had not noticed her and stood with his back to her bent over datapads. Their bond was eerily quiet and anxiety gnawed at her nerves now.

“Marr,” she whispered softly into the room.

He twitched. Concerned she frowned as she walked to his side. Something was bothering him.

“Edenye,” he turned around already unclasping his mask.

“What happened?” she asked cupping his jaw.

He sighed at first, pinching the bridge of his nose while the other hand drew around her waist.

“Baras…, at first he plunges into a war we were not ready for yet and now,” he inhaled through his teeth before looking at her with his nerves raw and visible, “he claims to be the Emperor’s voice.”

She stilled, hand dropping from his jaw in her shock. The Voice? Oh no… oh no no. That meant… the Emperor was moving more openly again. After centuries of relative silence. When had been the last time a Voice had resided on the Dark Council?

“So…,” she croaked and could not finish her thought.

He was coming for her. The warning replayed in her mind and she felt her knees buckle under her weight.

“I got you,” Marr’s voice rumbled in her ear.

She must have lost her balance and he had caught her.

“Vowrawn claims he is not, but we cannot but acknowledge him until he can prove his claim,” Marr said urgently, “He cannot harm you.”

“Not yet,” she muttered into his neck.

Marr did not reply, knowing that she was right. It was only a matter of time before a demand like that would be made, should Baras be the real Voice.

“Let’s hope Vowrawn is right,” she whispered, “Or we kill Baras.”

Marr stiffened at her last sentence.

“And risk open dissent? Baras has convinced Thanaton, Mortis…,” he sounded lost.

“I heard of Baras,” she said softly, “He has spies everywhere. This man does not act openly and that is how you beat him. Beat him at his own game.”

“Of course,” he spat bitterly gripping her slightly tighter, “More intrigues to keep track of.”

“Your seat will depend on it,” she muttered against his skin, “If they find out…”

“I know,” he growled, “If they know about you and me, we both will be lucky to have enough time to escape.”

She stayed quiet, closing her eyes in her grief. So close… They had been so close to happiness that they could get in these times. Why couldn’t they be content? Was this too much to ask? If the Emperor ordered her death and by association Marr’s, some members of the Dark Council would happily comply. His seat would be safe if no one knew about them.

“You put it on,” Marr stated stunned, one of his hands touching the top of her head where she had braided it in.

“Of course,” she said pulling her head up to look at him properly, “and don’t think ….”

She could not even finish her sentence before he kissed her.

“I love you,” he muttered, “don’t ever think that I don’t.”

“I know you do,” she answered when he let her go.

“Then you understand why I will order you to be cautious from now on?” he raised an eyebrow in her direction.

Oh devious… she had to laugh now.


	9. 9. You shouldn't have come here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning:  
> Sith Emperor  
> Electrocution  
> Hints at Kotfe and Kotet

* * *

 

It was dark. Pitch black where she could not even see her hand in front of her face anymore. This… emptiness felt wrong. Ever hungry and devouring. Shuddering she tried to move. Away from this void.

Only to fall. Flashes of light flickered past her, her fingers not quite reaching them. If only she could grasp one… A pit in her stomach opened up, sucking any heat out of her body, leaving her a cold husk. The void warped, colours springing to life. A blue-orange sky spread across her eyes, leaves folding out under her fingers. A strange world materialized in front of her. People… more fuzzy grey silhouettes floated past the vibrant scenery.

Like ghosts…

Whisperings… just as on Korriban reached her ears and she had to strain her ears to hear them.

“ _He is coming…_ ”

Over and over.

“Who?” she asked out loud.

The silhouettes fled from her view, hissing in fear.

“ _Him… he who devours worlds. He is coming._ ”

“Who?” she asked again, pushing long yellow leaves out of her way.

More hissing and… then silence. She stepped into a clearing where pink grass that had bowed gently to a light breeze. Stopped in time. It was as if someone had taken a breath and was holding it. The hair on her neck stood on end. The tips of them fizzling as electrical charge built around her.

She could only close her eyes as Force lightning impacted her body from behind. Boiled her from the inside and threw her into the clearing. Her fingers twitched and she had to gasp out for air. It had only lasted for the blink of an eye, but now her limbs were too heavy to lift and pain clouded her senses.

“You shouldn’t have come here,” a deep voice said behind her.

With a deep inhale, she lifted her head grimacing under the effort. Muscles screaming in pain and protest of being used. A blurry and dark shape moved in front of her. The shape of a tall man as it jerked into focus when she blinked furiously to clear up her vision.

The Emperor… pain forgotten, she scrambled a few feet backwards. That face… she had seen it in so many visions before.

“You have gotten this far. I might indulge you,” the man calmly stated his face fuzzing at the edges, as if it was a hologram.

He stepped towards and she tried to back up, but her muscles locked up and she fell back on her elbows.

“You are in my dreams,” he bared his teeth and he knelt down in front of her.

His robes were nothing like she had seen before. White shoulder decorations with a deep blue fabric for the rest. None of the Sith robes she had ever seen matched it. Where was he? Or more, where was she?

His face morphed into another, one that fit the body it sat upon, “I have had many faces.”

“Another body?” she wheezed out.

“The last Voice decayed under my power,” the Emperor huffed dismissively, “but why you can walk into my dreams…”

She gripped a fistful of the pink grass. There was something he did not want her to see.

“Correct,” he raised an eyebrow looking at her as if he was assessing her for the first time.

“I cannot allow you to live,” he said slowly reaching out with a hand.

Fear seized her muscles, stiffening to the point she could not breathe, her heart clenched tightly.

The hissing was back and with it the silhouettes. They rushed forth from the grassblades, grey shapes rushing towards the Emperor. Enveloping it in a fog of writhing limbs that were pulling at him, keeping him away.

“ _Run_.”

And she did. When she had gotten to her feet she did not know. Not that it mattered, all that mattered was running to where the shapes were pulling her to. Wherever it was. Better than anything the Emperor wanted with her. Until she broke through branches and leaves that had scraped past her cheeks.

On a cliff. Below only a void littered with sparkling stars.

“ _Jump_.”

She looked back. What she saw dropped her mouth open in shock. A Sith Pureblood stood in front of her, his yellow eyes boring into hers.

“Another soul about to be lost to my bastard son,” he hissed and she took a step away from him, closer to the edge of the cliff.

“Jump, little Sith, lest he catches you,” he continued and then pushed her with both of his hands over the edge.

“ _NO_!”

 

She shot up in her bed, breathing heavily. What had she done?!


	10. 12. Who could do this

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Father-daughter bonding  
> Warnings:  
> Difficult birth  
> Attempt on a pregnant person's life  
> Medical coma

* * *

 

Edenye still had not woken up, not even after two days in the medical bay. Silence hung in their bond, heavy and oppressing. Induced medical coma. No stirrings of thought or any emotion, just blank. As if he was staring at a white wall. His nerves frayed and burned whenever he tried to reach out across to her, only to be met with nothing. Chest tight, he watched her breathe evenly with the heart and brain activity monitors beeping steadily. The only sign she was even alive right now, except the faint thumping at the back of his skull. She would live, he had been assured, but they did not know when she’d wake up.

The small bundle in his arms did not stir when he re-adjusted his grip on it. Looking down, he felt some tension drain from behind his forehead. Emergency delivery. Somehow he doubted that Edenye had felt it happening. Nothing had floated over during the entire process. As quick as it had been done, maybe she hadn’t had the time to realise it. That had been hours ago now. Though, it felt like a life-time since the examinations were done and he had been alone with her. Only then had he been able to approach the small bed for the baby to pick it up. One tiny hand poked from the folds of the blanket, the tiny fingers curled up tightly still. Her skin was still blotchy red in places with wrinkles everywhere.

Years ago he would have scoffed at parents mentioning how beautiful their spawn was in those first few hours. Now? It ranked right next to Edenye and the sight of a liberated Imperial world after months of fighting. If not more.

Carefully as not to wake the sleeping infant, he lifted her up to drop a brief kiss to her forehead. Closing his eyes, he felt for the small fluttering of a newly developing bond between him and his daughter. A miracle, some of the medics had muttered when they thought he had not heard them. A healthy baby out of a nearly dying mother. Some were still scratching their heads on this.

Just who could have betrayed them like this?

Who _could_ do this?

Risking a then highly pregnant Edenye’s death?

Republic? If so, only the SIS. The Jedi would have been too squeamish to harm an expectant mother. They would have tried to capture her and once the birth was over, execute her.

From the Sith? Unlikely. Though… if they had something to gain? But then they would go against him directly… Unless they knew about them and him being the father. Vowrawn? No, he had nothing to gain.

A headache that could wait for now.

Once they dropped from hyperspace, the news of the birth would hit the major Imperial news and intelligence agencies across the galaxy. He could already hear the rumours starting to boil up again. For a while at least before the war took their attention away. They’d have to be more careful who and what could see them to draw any connections.

But until then… he had time to bond with his daughter. Alone. Time he did not intend to waste.


	11. 15. I thought you had forgotten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning:  
> none

* * *

 

“Here,” Edenye said while pressing a steaming cup into Marr’s hands, “should keep us warm for a while.”

He reacted only a moment later, wherever his head was with his thoughts. The fleet above Bergeren was lost, obliterated into chunks of metal that would form a ring around the planet by now. So many of their soldiers dead…. Most likely trying to figure out how to proceed from this loss.

Jedi and Republic had taken over the planetary government, seceding and joining the Republic in one fell swoop, giving them a direct jump into Imperial Space. Enraging her more than anything. It had been her failing for not seeing the traitor. Whoever this traitor in their midst was, had been, they would not live for much longer if she had any say in it. Their only mistake was to leave them alive, to not make sure they were really dead. Maybe they were still searching for them. Who knew? But in the week they had stumbled through the dense forest, there had been no noticeable effort to look for them.

But, she, Marr and Major Tolun had nowhere to go either. The only survivors from the shuttle they had been in when it exploded. Too injured to do much about it either or look for other survivors. Not with Marr’s broken ribs, at least a broken leg and suspected internal bleeding. Hiding was their only option for now, as much as she hated to do that. Off-world communications were jammed too. No way out and no way in for an evacuation.

As if that was ever an option.

If she only knew where they were actually on the planet too. Stealing a shuttle would be easy to do if she did. However… it was just trees in every direction and getting lost was a sure enough death sentence at this point. Especially when they had found a half-buried and broken military base from surely centuries ago when it had must have been abandoned.  

A roof over their head and a source of food and water nearby. Would be as good as they were going to get for now.

Still, it would be _great_ if he talked to her. Hadn’t ever been a problem! Now?! The Force was… it was not quiet, but blocked. He was blocking it. Leaving her guessing and practically reeling from the silence. In this destroyed base, that silence made the hair on her neck stand on end. Not with how alone she felt, even with Marr not two feet away from her.

She wanted to rage. Tear out that stupid hanging light at the ceiling and yell at the two of the brooding Imperials…. Making it hard for her to work.

Ah friiiick. Her arm still hurt too much to use it too abruptly.

“Edenye,” Marr finally called out making her jerk around to face him, “remember when you took that poison for me?”

“I thought you had forgotten?” she replied stunned almost forgetting her own cup.

“No,” he sounded absent minded now, “I could never forget that.”

He was looking at her, his mask destroyed in the explosion. Something she would need to fix soon. But, she frowned, that incident had been so long ago now.

“My Lord,” she cautiously said, “It has been years?”

“You also never asked why you survived.”

“Atrea said that…”

“She lied.”

Stunned she stood there, cup in hand with their remaining bacta dissolved in it. Something she needed to drink, he needed to drink. There was no way Atrea lied to her. On her death bed Atrea had said that she was like her own daughter… no she refused.

“My Lord…,” she started to ague before being interrupted.

“She lied to protect you and me,” he said firmly in the tone that allowed no argument, “You only survived because I bonded with you.”

“Bonded?” she asked weakly grasping at her throat and then louder, “Bonded?!”

“It was the only way for you to survive,” he replied pained before taking a sip.

She had to set the cup down, trying to breathe through her hurting ribs. Even her knees were shaking now. Lies? More lies? He gripped her forearm to steady her and to pull her down to the chair next to him.

“Edenye,” he groaned, “it was the only way.”

She looked down into her lap, where his hand was gripping her still.

“Oh… Why did I never sense….”

“Because a bond needs to be maintained,” he retorted curtly, “I wanted to tell you.”

“So long…,” she muttered, “for years you said nothing.”

“What could I have said?” he asked, “With Sith and SIS watching our every move? You know how non-Force users see these things.”

“True,” she sighed taking a drink from her own cup.

The slimy taste of the dissolved bacta was barely noticeable. But it should help with any internal injuries they might have sustained. At least from what Tolun had told them before leaving them alone.

“We are alone now,” she observed.

“Yes,” he said slowly, “I noticed.”

“We could leave things like they are now,” she blew a loose strand of hair out of her face, “or…”

“Edenye, you know what a developed Force bond _can_ mean?” he asked suddenly, serious.

“I am fully aware,” she hissed, “Bonds can range from familial, to friend and …,” she swallowed her tongue on the other implication.

 _Love_?

“You don’t mean…?”

“I mean it, you know I don’t lie to you.”

“Then say it,” she challenged.

Silence. Her heart sank into her stomach and the cup in her hands started to swim in front of her eyes. Foolish. Of course he did not mean that.

“I cannot imagine an Empire without you,” he suddenly spoke up, still gripping her arm.

She tilted her head to look at him to give him a slight smile.


	12. 16. This is going to be so much fun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning  
> Vowrawn being nosy

* * *

 

This was the first parade into the war. Vowrawn had to wonder how long they could afford to have them. Right now they could easily put a few resources aside for this type of luxury. Later? He’d have to keep up with Marr and Arkous. At least it no longer was Baras…. Oh the tantrum that had ensued when the others had stripped him of his seat as now the _unconfirmed_ Voice… It had been delicious to watch.

Well, at least Darth Marr had been able to provide some distraction with his liberation of Bergeren. So far the affair was going off without a hitch with how many Sith were gathered in one room. No one had been murdered yet. A relief. At the same time a bore…. Someone better initiate a scandal or he will do it.

Now what innocent victim… He looked over to Marr who sat next to him.

Broodier than usual, could not really be talked at for too long before one could hear his teeth grinding through the mask. Something had pissed him off and Vowrawn was enjoying his wine too much to get involved. Not. At. All.

Someone else then.

He lifted his cup to get a few more sips in and to use it to glance over to the table a bit further away where the higher ranking Lords, not quite Darths, sat. Edenye and Quet had their back to them with Darth Lachris right between apparently telling them something. Both of the girls had forgone their armour and gone for evening dresses with status symbols displayed openly. Next time they should invite the dressmakers to these parties, definitely more fun to watch them preen around than broody Darths.

At least Quet and Edenye were entertained, unlike their current Masters. Laughing and talking animatedly to each other. The purple flowers she had been showered with in the parade now worked into her braids.

Marr clenched his fist when Edenye’s loud laughter rang through to them from all the commotion and noise around. Quickly Vowrawn shot him a warning glance. If Marr wanted to rage, he could do it elsewhere. Out of all of them, he could not afford a scandal. Fortunately, Marr sensed it and relaxed. Not without a huff.

“My friend,” Vowrawn broke the silence between them, “I heard so many stories about Bergeren. Is it true you two took an _atmospheric_ dive out of a shuttle?”

Slowly Marr turned to face him, mask still on and inscrutable. Though, the barely concealed wrath was boiling underneath it clearly as any tihaar.

“We did,” he answered shortly.

“That is all?” Vowrawn smirked, but Marr had already turned his eyes away and…

Ohh… now this was … he was stunned to the point he just stared openly at Edenye’s back with his wine cup in hand. Then he glanced back to Marr who was boring holes into Edenye’s back now. Now, no wonder the rumours from Bergeren had been so sparse! Something happened between Marr and Edenye and it was not the bad kind. He squinted into the golden light that was falling from the large chandelier hanging above them.

And there it was. Underneath all these purple petals, a glint. A headpiece. A promise headpiece?! How he was still had a grip on his cup was a miracle.

He turned to look at Marr who was looking back for once and raised one of his eyebrow ridges to give him a look. Couldn’t they be more obvious? It was _painful_. At least Marr had the decency to let some embarrassment slip through for just him to sense.

Oh, he was going to have soo much fun.

 


	13. 17. I will tell you, but you are gonna like it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings  
> Oricon Spoilers  
> Pregnancy reveal

* * *

 

The white strip of a galaxy arms spanned the viewport in his chambers. Oricon, that cursed planet, was still far too close for his taste. Whatever the Dread Masters had done with the organisms on it… at this point it was irreversible. Supplies were too sparse for that. He’d have to ask Acina and Mortis to put the planet on the restricted access list. Station a few Sith Lords around for guarding. Hopefully some of the more ‘unsavoury’ ones.

Darth Imperious’ report was going to be interesting… Sighing, he looked down on the datapad that he used for the intra-Council communications. An immediate update to Vowrawn was needed on their remaining supplies and losses at the Dread Palace.

His knee pinched when he stretched out underneath desk. Damn those tentacles… At least it had been nothing that a quick stim had not been able to solve. Still if it kept pinching he’d strangle the medic! Speaking of medics and being incompetent….

Why was Edenye’s examination taking so long? Rubbing his right temple, he looked briefly at the door to his chambers. Her presence was still faint, but the edges were strained. If it was taking so long then something was wrong. But he could not sense anything painful. How had he missed something so major at the end of the assault? No pain had been shooting over from her, just pure elation of it all being over. To the point she nearly flung herself into his arms, as much as he had wanted it too, only to thankfully recompose herself a split second later.

A catastrophe just about diverted.

Too close.

Just how many remnants of the Emperor did they have to clean up before they could finally focus on the Empire? Before they could put the Emperor into the past? He was the reason why he could be with Edenye right now in the medbay. Clenching his fist, he levitated his lightsaber into the air, the familiar hilt rotating slowly.

Usually it would soothe over his nerves. If anyone suspected the exact nature of their relationship, then… he had to swallow at the cramp in his little finger that had developed. Stretching the fingers out, the joints creaking slightly from the tension relief.

Anyone suspecting anything with their plans… and right now the extreme Sith were gaining power again. Another headache working its way to a pounding at his forehead. They were already on thin ice with Edenye having a death mark given by the Emperor himself.  With their hopes and dreams for the Empire… it would only spell their death sentence.

Right now, his reputation as the people’s hero and her place as his right hand were the only protection. Someone finding out the exact nature of their relationship…. All that gone in the blink of an eye.

There would not be a thing he could do.

And he was not going to be living in an Empire without Edenye. It would be too far gone to save.

Familiar tingling along his shoulders eased him out of thoughts, eyes fixating back onto the door on their own as his lightsaber floated back to his hand. Edenye was dismissed and on her way.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he looked back down on his datapad where the beginnings of the message were still glowing up to him. Though his relief was short lived, anxiety gnawing at the back of his skull. The hair on his neck rose at shock and a cracking composure made its way to the forefront of his mind.

Something had been found? Rising from his chair, he turned off the datapad saving the drafted message for now. Later. Vowrawn would understand if he told him that he had been held up writing it.

Edenye slipped into his chambers, uncertain in her steps and shaking arms. Confusion weighed above any of the emotions she felt.

“Did something…?” he started to ask before she shook her head rapidly.

She opened her mouth, some choked sound escaping. Panic started to hammer at the back of his skull just as her eyes started to water.

What was? Words were stuck in his throat as he watched her struggle. In the end he drew her into an embrace, pushing her head under his chin. As soon as his chin came to a rest on top of her headpiece, the metal digging into his skin and bone, her shoulders started to shake.

Muted sobs tore from her as she pressed her nose into the space where his neck met his chest. Heart tight, he waited for her to calm down. Whatever it was… he’d be there.

After a few minutes, she had calmed down enough that only her audible breathing through her stuffed nose was the only sound between them. Her arms had wound around the middle of his back, gripping at his under tunic tightly. As if she needed to hold herself up just by purely pulling herself up.

So he waited for her to tell him.

“I need to tell you something,” she whispered, mouth moving against his skin.

Tears had soaked the top of his tunic, one of his hand stroking the back of her braids. Not too much, otherwise her intricate braids would be too disheveled and he liked looking at them.

He stayed silent, sensing that anything from him would not help.

“And I am not sure if you will like it,” she finished taking in a shuddering breath.

He lifted his head off her head to look at her properly. The edges of her eyes were red, two differently coloured eyes searching out his for a moment. Fluttering tendrils of hope brushed against his forehead and he frowned.

Hope? That did not fit her emotional state. Frowning he regarded how her face relaxed the longer she gazed up at him.

Suddenly she smiled. Wide and scrunched up eyes, the rare one. Fighting down the urge to kiss her, he just remained where he was, observing her. Just then she opened up completely across their bond and he had to catch himself to not fall back.

So much… was he kissing her? Was she kissing him? It all disappeared as he drowned in the intoxicating sensation of being so deeply bonded that he could no longer tell if they were one or two separate entities. A current of despair rushed past him, fizzled out completely under a crushing wave of a sort of joy he had felt her have once.

During that time under the stars on Bergeren. The tightness on his chest lifted and he could breathe again.

Suddenly there was the pull of a whirlpool tugging at his senses. Down and down he was pulled and he let it.

Until… there was like he stared into the core of a sun. Bright, hot and powerful.

Oh. Oh… Now it made all sense! Why she had been held up.

 _A baby_.

“I love you,” he muttered finally regaining some control over his tongue, “And this is…”

“I worried too much I know,” she chuckled back, “Just…”

“We will get through this,” he promised, “like we have always done.”

She kissed him in response.


	14. 18. You should have seen it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning  
> One elaborate dick joke

* * *

 

“You should have seen it!” Vowrawn chortled, “The man’s face…. Oh by the tombs of Korriban, it was glorious.”

“Would you please explain to me what happened?” Marr asked leaning back in his chair where they overlooked the formal gathering.

“Oh, not this easy,” Vowrawn practically cackled, “Do you remember this one snack that was all the rage back in your apprentice days?”

He waved Quet over, who carried a small bowl that was covered with a cloth, all according to plan. The small pausing of Marr’s posture told him that he recognized it and all too well. His fellow Dark Councilor facepalmed leaning away from him. The temptation to start cackling was too great, but he had to resist. For now. There was no way he’d spoil it too early.

“You…,” Marr seemed to be not sure to be annoyed or to laugh, “gave fourty _young_ Sith Lords this to eat?”

“Yes,” Vowrawn chuckled now taking a sip from his wine.

“What happened, Vowrawn?” Marr asked more insistently, but the tone already said that he could imagine it already.

“So,” he had to set his cup down already cackling slightly, “This one Lord… I forgot his name, doesn’t matter either way, he approached Edenye with one.”

Marr was still facepalming, but this time already shaking his head. Ohhh, he was getting it. But it would not deter him from actually telling it. There was no way Marr was going to escape that torture.

“He gave her it, practically shoving it into her hand and waggling his eyebrows,” Vowrawn recounted with an exaggerated waggling of his eye ridges, “Probably waiting for her _suck_ it out.” 

Marr was definitely dying behind his mask. Remarkable restraint. Nooo, that would release from the torture of holding back.

“Control yourself,” Vowrawn pretended to sniff while still cackling, “one might think you have a _functionin_ g body underneath all this armour. We do not need people to get any ideas.”

A muted chortle was his only answer. But a satisfactory one, it would count for now.

“Anyways, Edenye just stood there while others were already laughing, poor thing,” Vowrawn continued, “But… by the Emperor, after a moment she had this look in her face. Pretty sure you know the one when she has this idea that no matter what will be executed.”

Marr’s shoulders were shaking. Good. His plan was proceeding quite well.

“Anyways, she lifts the hand,” he lifted his free hand dramatically snapping it shut into a fist, “and crushes it. No mercy was shown as she stared him down.”

Marr could keep it down quite nicely. Right, more exaggeration needed.

“It was as if his life was flashing past his eyes!” Vowrawn cackled loudly now not caring if he got curious stares.

“Well…,” Marr spluttered out, “You could say _lives_ were taken out.”

“ _Metaphorically_ ,” Vowrawn grinned viciously now, “And guess what happened with the filling.”

“Oh no…,” Marr started and Vowrawn had to cut in.

“It went flying to the Lord’s forehead!” he finished now having to take another sip from his wine.

“Guess he didn’t expect it to happen,” Marr commented drily, “But you can also say he got off one way or another.”

He choked on his wine.

“ _Metaphorically_ speaking of course,” Marr finished.

Vowrawn had to wonder who else got murdered when Marr and Edenye combined forces.


	15. 19. + 20. "I hope you have a speech prepared" "Oh please, like this is the worst I have done"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trolling Jedi  
> Warning  
> mentions of War  
> hints of Violence

* * *

 

That supply line would not arrive anymore to the outpost. Unless they wanted smouldering wreckages and twisted metal. Sighing, she looked to the road where they had walked on to get here. Up the side of a mountain, with a steep cliff going down on one side. Apparently on-land routes the visibility to the Republic invasion force was minimal. But more vulnerable to an ambush.

Why she was sent out to confirm the obvious?

“My Lord,” Tolun piped up with his rifle drawn still.

“Yes?” she replied, stepping over a large stone to get closer to him.

He was staring at the bend further up the road, where they’d enter a large cavern system that would lead straight to the outpost at the other side of the mountain range. A stretch of the path that was in theory more secure. Their sensors would have picked up any activity. Which they hadn’t. Also why they knew that the supply line had not gone through.

Suspicious activity.

“There are only two ways they could have been ambushed,” Tolun said still doing the standard perimeter scanning.

“Go on,” she replied, her own light spike out.

In case the ambushers were still around. That probability was still high for that case, some analyst quoting it at about fifty percent.

“From the road, or from the top,” Tolun continued.

Hmm. She looked at the cliff face rising to her left. Far too steep and high to risk a drop down. Also their outside sensors would have picked that up. Though, they could have clung to the wall waiting for the supply line. From the road? More plausible. But there were no places or strategically placed rocks or boulders to give any hiding spots.

 _The hair on the back of her neck fizzled_ ….

Ambush?

“Major,” she whispered, “when I tell you to jump you jump off.”

“Yes, my Lord?” Tolun replied almost hesitantly.

Just then the distinct hiss of activated lightsabers made her whirl around, her own blade humming to life. Four blue coloured lightsabers pointed at them from all sides, surrounding them, pushing them to the cliff going down where a large forest spread out from the base.

Yes, ambush. Of course… What was a war without an ambush?

“So…,” an older Twi’lek clad in brown robes spoke up, “The apprentice of Darth Atrea. Please put down your weapons and surrender.”

Surrender? Were they serious? Blinking, she stared at the four Jedi looking at her expectantly. They were…. Should she laugh? No, they would think she was far too insane. Four Jedi… near an Imperial base. Something they seemed not aware of. Fighting them right now would not serve any purpose. This stank like a hidden base of theirs nearby. With no bodies amongst the wreckage… seemed like either their supply line guards were either defectors or prisoners. Either way, those four could be dealt with later.

Time to get out. What did they think? That a Sith would willingly go with them? Delusional.

“I hope you have a speech prepared for your commanders,” she drawled, grinning under her mask.

Confusion scrunched up the four Jedi’s faces.

“Jump,” she yelled, stretching out her hands.

The Force rushed outwards, throwing the Jedi into the rock wall behind them. A few crunches of breaking bones cracked through the air. Not that she cared. Neither the pained yells made her pause. Whirling around, she grabbed onto Tolun who sprinted to the edge off the road.

Then they were sailing through the air and down. Air whistling past her mask, ripping her hood off her head, letting it flutter behind her. Shocked yells above drowned out the further they fell. She wanted to laugh. Had they not expected this?

What fools.

Pressing her arms closer to her body, she fell faster towards the tree tops. She had to time this juuuuust right. Clutching her pike in both hands, she closed her eyes, stretching out with the Force. Major Tolun was beside her, falling slower, panic careening through him.

Oh please, as if this was the worst thing she had done with him….

Gripping him with the Force, she pulled. Closer and closer. Until her fingers brushed against his armour.

Hold…hold…

They crashed through the tree tops, leaves and branches punching them left and right.

There.

Her legs slung under Tolun’s arm pits, just as she caught herself on a branch using her pike as a pole to grab onto. Elbows screamed under the sudden weight of her and Tolun combined being stopped from falling, but her pike held. As it should. So they dangled from a tree in the middle of the forest at the base of the mountain.

“My Lord,” Tolun squeaked below her, “Next time give me a warning!”

“I did,” she quipped looking around.

Where could they get off safely?

“All you said was ‘Jump when I tell you to’!” he contradicted gripping her upper thighs now for a more secure hold.

Somehow this was screamingly funny. How could he not see that?

“You are alive,” she chuckled, “No need to complain.”

Tolun spluttered underneath his helmet.

“Why did you not fight them?” he asked more seriously.

“Because,” she re-adjusted the grip on her pike, “if there are four Jedi seemingly unaware of an Imperial base nearby, that just smells like a hidden staging point of theirs. Don’t you think?”

“True…,” he conceded.

“Good,” she continued, “And since there were no bodies, our priority is to get them out of captivity or execute them for treason.”

Now he was quiet, contemplating.

“And you want to eliminate the base before hunting down any remnants?” he asked after a moment’s pause.

“Yes,” she answered.

“Alright, my Lord,” he sighed.

“Good, what do you see down there?” she asked hoping that he could see more than her.

“To drop down?” he questioned.

“What else?” she snarked back.

“We are hanging on the lowest branch of this tree…,” he reported, “At least a seven feet drop.”

“Survivable,” she commented before straightening out her legs, letting Tolun fall.

 

 

 


	16. 21. Impressive, truly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning  
> Exploitation of Force-sensitive slave (slavery)  
> Graphic depiction of violence/death

* * *

 

This slave. Relion shook his head looking down on his wine glass. As human as she looked, that one eye always gave her away as an alien. Scum and pathetic on top of that. Huffing he looked at his business partner whose face was still stark white, hands trembling even with his tight grip on the arm rests. This would cost him billions in credits if he was lucky. Unlucky… he’d be relieved of his head.

How dare she say to a _Moff_ that he was going to die?! And soon! All he had asked of her were victories! Not death… A disaster… total and utter disaster.

“She is force sensitive if this is true,” Moff Ithen suddenly said, “You are breaking the law.”

“An alien?” he coughed, “Surely you do not want an Alien at the command later on?”

“No,” the Moff rubbed his forehead, “but all Force sensitives have to be registered and evaluated.”

“A bit too late for that now,” Relion rolled his eyes filling the two wine glasses up again, “She might not be right, you know. Drink.”

Ithen did not even spare the glass a brief glance. Durasteel grey eyes bored into his.

“I had a daughter once. If she is Sith now or not, I do not know. But she was the same like your little slave, not with how much she could see what was going to happen, but little things. And they all came true. What she sees… impressive, truly,” he recounted, resignation lacing his tone.

“She is a slave,” Relion doubled down, “And an alien. There is no way she could become a Sith.”

“You speak treason,” Ithen shot back sharply.

“How can it be treason?” Relion retorted, “She is my property. _I_ decide what she is and what not. And she is _not_ a Sith.”

“That is not up to you to decide,” Ithen shook his head now, “I will contact Darth Malgus about this.”

“If you do…,” Relion threatened before being cut off.

“I do not tolerate treason,” Ithen hissed taking out his comm, “The deal is off.”

“Oh no,” Relion snapped tearing the drawer of his desk open.

His blaster lay amongst the piles of papers he still needed to sign. Only meant for emergencies… Well now, this was an emergency. He was not going to lose his main source of income in the stock market betting gambles. Or his head!

Ithen had only typed in a few keys, before he could whip up the blaster and set a blaster bolt straight through his forehead. The loud crack reverberating around the room. Heart pounding he saw Ithen’s head yank back. Brain and skull pieces splattering the carpet behind him. Well. Edenye had been right, as always. As Ithen had said, her ability to see further than any force sensitive was impressive. What kind of fool would he be if he let her go? No. She was going to stay here..

Though… he looked at the smoking corpse in front of him, already pressing the bell for his most loyal guards, she’d have to be punished. Her little prediction had just cost him more than a few billions of credits in a deal. Murdering a Moff. Much harder to hide than a force sensitive alien slave. So much to do, so little time. In less than ten minutes alarms would go off with Imperial command that the Moff had not signed in.

Any evidence has to be gone.

Right now he had to dissolve a body and deflect any suspicions when the investigations were coming to his door step sooner than later.


	17. 22. I know how you love to play games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Malgus and Relion  
> Warning  
> Graphic depiction of violence/death

* * *

 Malgus sliced through the group of on charging guards with ease. Pitiful. How dare they think that they could take on a Sith? Desperation colouring the rooms and walls round him. A powerful motivator. If only it made them strong enough to stand in his way. Screams and whimperings for mercy floated from the floor below him.

The entire estate was far too grand and luxurious for just a weapon manufacturer. Black money through weapon deals with the Hutts… and like his analysts had written in the report, rather unusually lucky in his gambling. Extraordinary luck, one had commented meaning a near hundred percent success rate. Vowrawn had confirmed that he had people on that case, but no illegal meddling had been found in that branch yet.

As if that was going to stop him.

Ithen had discovered something. Whatever it was, it had led to his death. Only the bone of his pinky finger had been found in the end. Someone had been sloppy in their effort to get rid of evidence. Sloppy enough to lead straight to this Relion.

Oh, he was going to enjoy seeing this worm twist and turn. Treason. There would be no mercy. For once the Force prickled and sang, rushing to him at his command. Another person strong in it was here.

It all made sense now. The unusual luck in the stock market gambling. No criminal activity, just relying on an undiscovered acolyte. That made it two charges of treason on top of extortion. Immediate execution was already warranted.

But he still wanted to hear how he had pulled this all off. After all, only a sloppy mistake brought the willingness of the council to act against him directly.

Relion was holed up in his office, resignation and a determination pounding against his mind. Strong-willed. Just like he liked his opponents. Not backing down. Though, the pitiful attempt of shooting at him as soon as the doors flung open was laughable at best. His guards died seconds later and he had Relion on his knees, choking and eyes bugging out of their sockets.

“So…,” he started dragging Relion along the crimson Imperial carpet to the large window overseeing the large estate gardens. Almost grander than the Imperial gardens in Dromund Kaas, but definitely not trumping Ziost.

Not quite traitorous, but not an ideal Imperial citizen either.

“My Lord,” the man whimpered when he deigned to lighten his hold, “What are the charges?”

Didn’t even bother to deny. This was going to be fun.

“I know how much you love to play games,” he laughed, “You tell me. Surely someone with your _luck_ you’d know all of them.”

Fear smelled never so good.

“Treason,” Relion gasped falling onto his hands, “….I don’t know…”

“Reason for the treason?” he laughed.

“The Moff…”

“One of them,” he agreed, “But that would not warrant a Sith. Extortion and twofold treason. As I’ve discovered.”

Relion had the presence of mind to remain silent.

“Treason for killing a Moff of the Imperial navy is one yes, extortion and corruption. Your other treason charge… now, I found out that you are hiding a Force-sensitive. One the now dead Moff Ithen discovered I presume?” he informed gleefully.

Just then ice cold realization dawned on Relion.

“I should have never listened to this brat,” he spat looking out now, “I will die seeing what I’ve built. Damn aliens…”

“An alien?” he prodded rolling his eyes.

“Human mother…,” Relion muttered, “we do not know who the father was, but when she was born she had one purple eye. If she had just not been born with it! I could have sold her as a human. Why only one eye?!”

“Could be from many human species,” Malgus retorted.

This man… should he let Eleena at him? Would be funny to have this man die at the hands of a Twi’lek. Ironic. Truly the moments to live for. He had heard enough. Human girl, one purple eye. All he would need.

Relion died looking over his estate. Probably never felt the blade cutting his head off.

 


	18. 23. This is not new, it only feels like it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reaction after the news of Edenye's pregnancy being released.  
> No warnings apply

* * *

 

“Are you sure?” Marr asked.

Edenye rolled her eyes at him in reply, “Marr, this is not new…”

“It only feels like it,” he pointed out.

“You are paranoid,” she replied rubbing her eyes, “These happen every few months…”

“This came in as soon as the confirmation blew up the whole news,” Marr deadpanned crossing his arms.

“So?” she retorted, “Maybe for once they think they have a chance?”

“So knowing you are pregnant makes them bolder? That is your reasoning?” he asked stepping to where she sat on the seat arrangement.

“Yes,” she said simply putting the datapad down to pat the spot next to her, “We both know how blind most Sith can be.”

Marr huffed at her little joke, but he sat down next to her, one arm sliding along her shoulders pulling her to him.

“I know you will be fine with this challenger,” he amended more softly, “I just have the feeling someone is gearing up.”

She remained quiet. What could she say? Her dreams were still too fuzzy and what she could see clearly were fragments of the past. But neither could she rely on the absence of dreams. If something was coming, she’d know. Whether too late or early enough was an entirely different question.

“We just have to keep an eye out,” she finally sighed rubbing his cheek with her index finger, “Like we have always done.”

“Yes,” he conceded finally dropping a small kiss to her forehead, “How’s the nausea?”

“Getting used to it,” she grumbled, “I am currently lucky if I fit into my armour at the end of this.”

“If Baras could adjust his, then yours would be no problem,” he teased slipping a hand to her lower back to start massaging the tension accumulated over the day.

She giggled into his shoulder.

“I am just glad it took them that long to find out,” she pointed out laying her left hand on the now noticeable balloon that was now her stomach.

There was no way she’d ever get used to the weight throwing her balance off more often than not. Good thing it was only around for another four months at most. Marr’s hand on her lower back shifted to lie on top of hers on her stomach.

“Isn’t it the other way around?” she joked.

“I know it is not going to be active yet,” he pointed out.

“You time this?” she asked laughing with both eyebrows raised.

He kissed her nose, chest rumbling when he kept his own laughter down.

“Of course,” she giggled rolling her eyes at him, “you would.”

“You know me so well,” he grinned back.

“Would be bad if I didn’t,” she replied winking at him, “Also I think….”

“Yes, yes,” he sighed withdrawing from her, “I need to talk to Vowrawn and Mortis… Will be with you later.”

 

 


	19. 24. You know this, you know this to be true

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edenye and Major Tolun investigating the site of an ambush.  
> Warning  
> personal injury in war

* * *

 

Edenye stared at the flickering flames from the improvised camp fire. That shrapnel piece was still embedded into her side and she was too exhausted to pull it out. Not that she could ask Marr to help. Sith dynamics were still a mystery to her, but she knew that a Dark Councilor would have to be looking for betrayal everywhere. Or ways to expand that power.

Her injury would be admitting she was weak. Something that would be preyed on. What she had to do at the academy. No. That mistake would not happen to her now. Hissing quietly, she pressed a hand over the wound that thankfully had stopped bleeding. Though, Tolun would be jumping in a furious circle by now if he knew what she was doing.

Heh, was a good run with him. Might not live to see him again.

When she passed out she did not know.

But she was woken up when a hand suddenly clamped over her mouth, just as a heavy weight settled on her hips. Her eyes flew open, everything blurry and fuzzing. Pain still dully pounding from her side up to her mind. Pulling it back down to the nothingness of sleep.

Suddenly the shrapnel shard was yanked out. It was as if a grenade had gone off behind her eyelids. White filled her vision and her ears rang. Stop! Stop! What was going on? Who? Her feet skidded across the ground while her hands flailed up hitting something solid bouncing off. There was no air left to scream.

But then her strength left, the pain expanding like a supernova, consciousness obliterated back into nothing.

Next thing she knew was fire coursing through her veins, her skin boiling.  The armour pressing down on her lungs. So hard to breathe… She could feel herself swaying to someone’s steps. Groaning she tried to open her eyes.

Too heavy.

“Foolish,” someone growled above her, “If I hadn’t pulled the shrapnel out, you would have died.”

A branch cracked somewhere behind the haze that still wafted over her. Still on the run? What….?

“You know this, you know this to be true,” he finished before she fell back into the mist.

What was he trying to say?

Only a year later she really knew what he was trying to say.


	20. 25. Go forward, do not stray

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation from "3. How can I trust you"  
> Warning  
> Poisoned induced nightmares/Horror visions  
> Graphic

* * *

 

She could not breathe, much less move. Searing hot pain tore through her chest, ripped it open and laid her heart bare leaving it cold and hard. For how long it went on, she could not tell. There was no time and space where she was. Suddenly she felt herself tilted forward, her heart sputtering back to life as she fell to her knees and hands.

Only then could she open her eyes again. A black void surrounded her. She tried to move. It felt like trudging through dense mud. Slow and heavy were her legs as she lifted them. Even her hands were trapped in it, cold and slimy tendrils of it worming through the gaps of her fingers.

Where was she? Tugging her arms up, she only felt herself sinking deeper, the muck now reaching her hips. Panic shot up her spine as she looked around, seeing nothing still. Low moans filled the void, long and low. Several, higher pitched and lower pitched, voices stabbed through her ears from all directions. She wanted to scream. If only her muscles would obey her.

Just then hands broke through the muck, the only light source in this forsaken place. Some twisted in unnatural angles, muscles tense and tendons standing out from underneath the skin. More broke through near her.

One grabbed her wrist, pulling her down. A choked gasp escaped her before her throat closed up.

No no, she would not go down. Panicked she pulled against the surprising strength of the hand on her wrist. Another shot up, this time grabbing her hair, drawing her head back, neck arching painfully upward. It was a miracle the skin on her throat had not ripped under the strain yet. More joined the two clinging at her, grabbing whatever they could get a hold on.

She lost her footing then, falling back into the muck, as it buried her, filled her nose and lungs. Blind she started to thrash around, trying to get to the surface only to sink further down.

It stopped as soon as her consciousness started to slip.

Ripping her eyes wide open, she stared at her now changed surroundings. Atrea? Shock shot through her limbs, giving her energy to shoot up into a sitting position. Marr and Tolun sat in a circle around her. Motionless, mute and their eyes were closed. Breathing out in relief she stretched a hand out to Atrea. Was this real? Was she awake? _Why was Marr’s mask gone_?! He had to get it back on! Who knows who could see him!

Loud maniacal laughter shook her, before her fingers touched Atrea’s face. She fell back onto her hands to regain her balance. Dread settled into her stomach, keeping her rooted in place. Why was her Master’s skin so ashen…?

It crumbled, falling to dust in front of her. Wide-eyed she stared at it before ripping around. Tolun was dissolving too, her face twisted into a grotesque imitation of fear and pain. She had to slap a hand before her mouth to prevent her from screaming or vomiting. Maybe both.

Do not look. _Do not look around_!

But she could not prevent it. Her head turned on its own to Darth Marr’s direction. There he was, eyes open, red eyes looking at her with … wonder? Confused she blinked before falling to her knees before him. Her hands gripped his face, skin meeting skin. He was real, he was not dissolving. Shaking she felt his hands on her shoulder, gripping her firmly. Good. They had to get out. Now! Looking around she saw nowhere to go. Only blackness.

Their knees were touching now. Please _please_ … not him too.

Slimy fingers were on her neck, walking around her throat making her shiver in disgust and revolt. Bile rose to her throat, but she could not tear her hands away from Marr’s face. It was as if was frozen in place. More fingers were on her cheek, the back of her skull. They started to choke her, ripping her away. Dragging her down. As soon as her fingers left Marr’s face, his cheeks caved in, skin turning to ash.

She could not even scream as he fell, ash clouds rising in a howling, pushing into her chest.

Choking and gasping she fell through nothing. Until she hit ground hard.

Red sand flew past her nose. The orange skies of Korriban greeted her just as the metallic smell of blood and the moans of the dying reached her ears. Liquid was on her hands and as she lifted them she saw that were coated in blood. Breathing quickly and hard she rolled over to see.

Imperial officers and soldiers littered the dunes, red sand dusting them as blood leaked from various wounds. She tried to move, but something was on top of her, keeping her pinned where she was. In the distance she saw the white-orange armour of the Republic approaching.

Get out. They would kill her. Like all the others around her. No… she grabbed into the sand. Avenge them. But first she had to get out from whatever was pinning her down. Red-black armour greeted her and she froze completely. Marr? Dead. A large hole blown clean through his chest. Smoke rising from the edges and she let her head fall back.

Tears built in her eyes… All was lost. The Empire was gone… What was the point? Death was coming… A blade hissed to life near her head. She did not flinch. Let it end… Please. _Please_!

Then it was gone… she was floating through space again, through nothingness, slimy and cold hands dragging her. Let them… it was over. The void was replaced with air again that stank of burning wood. Opening her eyes, she saw herself surrounded by flames and burning trees.

“ _Apprentice_!” Atrea’s frantic voice screamed into her ears.

Shivering in fear she turned around and… nearly fell back. There was Atrea, arms outstretched to her for help. Only, she could not even lift her arms to pull her Master out of the flames that now engulfed her.

High pitched screams ripped into her and she could only watch as skin melted off the bones. And the smell…

 _Let it end_ … Please!

Sobs finally broke through and she bawled. Unable to save any of them. She had to hear the screams, see them crumble to ash. See the extend of a wound that should have been for her. All because of her. The screams reached a nigh inhuman pitch, shrill and … furious.

“ _Why did you not save me_?!” Atrea demanded through the screaming, “ _I raised you. I elevated you! Is that how you repay me_?!”

She whimpered in agony, clutching her ears shut muting the screams and the drowning out the sentences that Atrea was mouthing. Only… she could not tear her eyes away from how the skin blackened to charcoal and Atrea crumbled to the ground, mouth still ripped open in her screams. Fire crept closer and she backed into a tree stump. The last one standing in this burning forest. There was nowhere else to go.

Was this how she would finally die?

Hands were on her shoulders again. She flinched away… No no, let her be! She was ready to die. Please… Force… if there was one thing she ever asked… The hands were back.

Warm hands, firm too. Not slimy and cold. It was a gentle grip. In shock she dropped her shoulders she had hunched up unconsciously. They pulled her away, up into the air. Confused she looked up, but whoever was pulling her up remained in her blind spot.

The much was back, closing her in, trying to keep her but the hands only kept pulling harder. Out of it. She broke the surface, finally being able to breathe. Back in the endless void and out of the muck she breathed for several moments.

Where were the hands? They were gone. Shivering she looked around. Light stabbed her eyes and she had to squint, finally in control of her arms which she lifted to block it out.

Though… the figure that stood not far from her shocked her.

Marr? What… What was he doing here? He held out one hand, the same hand that must have pulled her out of the nightmare from before.

“Come,” was a simple command but it dissolved the lock on her legs.

Stumbling forward slowly, not as fast as she wanted she waded towards him.

“ _Come_ ,” another voice sounded to her right, her left… and behind her.

Jerking her head around, she saw multiple copies of him rising from the muck holding out their hands for her. Who was the real one?! Flickering her eyes from one to another, she tried to see who was real. But there was no difference!

“Go forward,” one said firmly to her side, the inflection of his voice… so familiar, “do not stray.”

It was him, she snapped her head to him, turning around she saw the real Marr holding out _both_ hands. So close…

Lurching forward, she launched herself towards him. Her hands grasped his and his fingers closed around her wrists in a tight grip.

Then he yanked.

Glaring white light blinded her and the grip disappeared. Confused she tried to move… but her arms were held down, a blanket was on her chest and legs. Beeping sounds filled her right ear and a low murmuring in her left. Marr’s hand was now on her forehead sending cold and soothing waves down her feverish body.

She breathed…

“She is waking up,” he said and the murmuring stopped.

“Edenye?” Atrea’s voice was strained and an underlying worried tone made her choke.

Marr’s hand slid down her forehead to her right temple, fingers sinking into her scalp. Only then could she lift her eyelids. Slowly and painfully tiring. Where he had touched her before a tingling remained on that patch of skin. A pleasant feeling. She blinked confused into the blue light of a medical bay.

Two shapes shifted into focus. Atrea’s face and Marr’s mask leaning above her. Relief flooded her head and she had to groan at the intensity. Since when did she feel someone’s emotions this intensely? Scrunching up her face she could only muster a whimper.

“ _You are safe…_ ” suddenly resonated within her skull and she jerked violently.

Then the hand on her temple was gone, the tingling left behind made her want to cry out at the loss of the contact. Marr’s shape disappeared and she felt him retreating quickly. The relief she had felt diminished the further he walked away. Confused she looked over to Atrea who looked resigned at the closed blast doors now.


	21. 28. I felt it. You know what I mean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edenye wakes up from the coma after birth. Wonders where Marr is.  
> No warnings apply

* * *

 

The baby gurgled happily waving a tiny fist in the air, finally free from the tight restrain of blankets. A week old now and already moving so much. Though, with how much she had rebelled before she was born, it was really no surprise. If only she herself could move more than a few inches. Apparently injury and birth recovery meant that her limbs and stomach were trying to eat each other.

Frankly she was surprised she could even hold her baby right now. Or more, hold her upper body and have the rest lying in her lap. Though, the baby seemed happy with it. Although, she had only been awake for a day now. A lot of time to catch up with. Gently she stroked the cheek. So soft and so… chubby.

Her heart melted when her daughter grabbed for the finger. Confusion flickered up as she stared at the captured finger.

“Don’t know what to do with it?” Edenye cooed down readjusting her other arm.

“She recognized you immediately,” Tolun snorted from his guard position in her chambers.

The med bay had moved her to her own chambers once she had woken up. Discharged officially with her daughter. Who the doctors had been gushing over how perfectly healthy she was. Almost had made her roll her eyes. She had heard them the first time around!

Now the only person missing was Marr. Who for some reason had not turned up yet. Her smile fell and tears pressed against her eyes. Ridiculous. He was just busy. Nothing more. They could not put off naming their daughter any longer either.

“He has been with you when he could,” Tolun spoke up soothingly not letting his eyes waver from the doors.

The guards were all on edge. It made her edgy! Worst of all, the baby sensed it too.

“Let me guess, he is chasing the traitor down still?” she asked yawning.

“He felt it when it happened. You know what I mean,” Tolun replied gritting his teeth.

She stared at Tolun for a long moment. It would explain a lot if that had happened. The screeching in her head and the trampling in her ears. Had their bond gotten deeper than she had thought possible? Hmm, the tapping of footsteps below the surface of her conscious hearing could then be him stalking through the ship.

Had he even slept since she had woken up? The stitches on her stomach and back started to itch horribly. If only she could scratch them… this was hell. Where was her datapad? There was a drive and there was an unhealthy fixation. And she would not lose him to that.

It was on her desk. A bit far away to walk. Using the Force would exhaust her too much still. Not something she could accept really. Nonetheless, this was getting ridiculous. The datapad slithered across the desk, flying through the air towards her. Tolun rolled his eyes, watching it zip past him.

“You know you will be passed out in a few hours,” he commented drily.

“Well, walking is a bit beyond my capabilities right now,” she joked back grabbing the pad.

Typing a message with a fuzzy baby was harder than she had thought. More than once did she have to correct her spelling.

 


	22. 29. At least it can't get any worse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marr and Edenye are up at ungodly hours in the morning due to their baby.  
> Fluff  
> no warning

* * *

 

Distress flickered up in her mind, snapping her awake. Alathea? Groggily she blinked into the semidarkness of her room. Dim light from the approaching dawn doused her chambers into grey tones. Just then the distress dispelled, an all-encompassing content lit up from where… this was not where Alathea slept. Blinking, she turned onto her side.

Where Marr should be lying. But he was sitting up against the headboard, holding Alathea. Oh… he must have sensed it before she had.

“Awake?” he whispered lifting his eyes to look at her.

“No,” she murmured rubbing her eyes.

He huffed, “She felt uncomfortable.”

“How many times have you been up tonight?” she asked now frowning.

“Four times,” he yawned, “You were up last night, so now it is my turn.”

“You need your sleep,” she said softly, “They will understand if I am exhausted, but not you.”

“Sometimes I want to drop the pretenses,” he replied rocking the baby now, “Come here.”

Sighing, she crawled up to him where he enveloped her with one arm drawing her close.

“At least our sleep schedules can’t get any worse,” she teased kissing the corner of his mouth.

Now he was shaking with silent laughter before he stopped.

“I rarely get time with her,” he said sadly, “I do not care about a sleep schedule.”

There was nothing she could really say to that. Gently she stroked his opposite cheek. Then she cupped his jaw to draw him in for a kiss.

“You still need to recover,” he murmured against her lips, “And one day we can be in the open.”

“I know,” she kissed his nose, “I am not going anywhere.”

He grasped her hand, lifting it to kiss the palm of it and then rested it against his cheek again. Warmth flooded her head, seeping into her bones. Through hooded eyes, she watched him coo down at Alathea. Sleep was taking over their daughter again. A few more hours of peace.

“You are good with her,” she whispered.

“Would be bad if I wasn’t,” he replied jokingly shifting off the bed to put her back into the crib.

She let herself fall back down on her stomach, watching him put the sleeping baby down before returning.

“What do the doctors say about your stitches?” he asked sliding over, cupping her face.

“Two more days before they are pulled,” she answered blowing softly on his nose.

He blinked at it.

“Tease,” he huffed nuzzling her nose.

She giggled quietly.


	23. 30. Do we really have to do this again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Darth Atrea and Darth Marr at a funeral  
> Warning:  
> mentions of a death

* * *

 

Atrea tightened her grip on the shawl wrapped around her shoulder. The funeral pyre had already extinguished hours ago, only embers remaining in the ash pile left behind. Another dead apprentice. At least this one had lasted four years with her. By tomorrow the whispers would be back like all the years before. Her utter inability to get an apprentice to the status of Lord. Some might even doubt her place as the right hand of Darth Marr at this point.

Any failures on her part reflected back onto him to some extent. This was not a promising start to his tenure of the Dark Council. Given how transitions of power were incredibly delicate and could topple out of control far too quickly. Another headache on top all the others that were waiting to unleash.

“Atrea,” Marr spoke up behind her, grass rustling under his approach.

“My Lord,” she replied automatically turning around to bow.

“This was a targeted assassination,” he stated coming to a stop besides her staring at the ash pile with her.

They had been the same age. Comical in a sense how one was already a Dark Councilor while the other had never made it past the apprentice status. Though, her apprentice had been discovered late while Marr had been in training since his tenth year. Not comparable in any way. Though, it was funny in hindsight. Two twenty one year olds in such contrasting positions.

Maybe this was the situation talking, but right now she did not know what to say. Targeted assassination. Of course she knew that it could only be one. The timing and the victim were too precisely timed. SIS and the Jedi would have targeted Marr directly. One could always rely on them being blunt and not at all subtle.

“This was my fourth apprentice,” she replied turning to look at him, “You know what the implications are.”

For a moment, only the rustling of the leaves around them could be heard. He was thinking of an answer. Why he just did not state what everyone thought was beyond her. There hadn’t been any reservations before.

“You will need to get another apprentice,” Marr said slowly, deliberately as if tasting every word.

She wanted to laugh. Of course. Status symbols with the Sith were important, such as apprentices. Seemed like her selection processes were too lenient to weakness, not with the fourth apprentice dead before gaining the title Lord. But, did she really have to do this again? Invest in an apprentice, grooming, training them and by the very nature of their work develop an attachment? Could she really do this again? But… if she didn’t, Marr’s and her positions would become too strenuous.

“Yes, my Lord,” she answered not bothering to move away.

“Not immediately,” Marr clarified, “But soon.”

Had he really just conceded time to her? Frowning she stared at his apathetic mask. His late master would have ordered her to board a shuttle at this very moment to select another. As if her old bones would allow for such a thing anymore. Maybe some things were truly changing.

It made her feel more alive than in the last two days.


	24. 31. I've waited so long for this

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marr and Edenye 'talking' about the pace of their relationship.  
> No warning applies  
> Fluff

* * *

Her fingers touched his bare ones. Hesitantly at first, shying away at the first contact. But she was back the next second, finger tips pressing against his. Tingling broke out from the contact, spreading down to this wrists. Briefly, his eyes flickered up to the clear night sky above. Stars blinked down surrounding the moon dousing them in a dim grey light.  

Edenye’s fingers slid along his now, her hands settling in his palms. As if she was asking if he was still willing. Carefully he wrapped his fingers around hers. Not tightly in case she flinched away, his thumb grazing the skin of her palm. The skin was so soft… now the tingling increased to a steady buzzing just below his skin. Did she sense it too?

Calmness radiated from her, her previous apprehension gone. Now just the rapid beating of a heart and giddy determination colouring through now. Knuckles brushed against his palms as she twisted her hands, looping her fingers into the spaces between his.

He had never noticed how much smaller her hand was compared to his. Slender fingers slid over the back of his hand, leaving a trail of sparks shooting to his stomach. Swallowing heavily, he watched her hesitate again. Uncertainty wavering through. Was she uncomfortable? Carefully he started to withdraw…

Until she  grasped his hands tighter.

“No,” she whispered, “I just… Don’t know what to do.”

Neither did he! Breathing a sigh of relief, he dropped his forehead to hers.

“I’ve waited so long for this,” he whispered against her skin, “I can take it slow.”

She shifted her head, so his nose bumped against hers. Breath washed over his eyelids, warmth spreading from them warming his ears. Her smile shone through his closed eyes, like a light coming through no matter how tightly one pressed them closed.

“I just need to feel,” she whispered.

Their hands moved together as if they had their own mind, moving to the side allowing her to step closer. Chest touching his now. As gently as he could, he took one of his hands away from hers, to place it on her lower back. Her free hand slid to the back of his neck, fingers slipping underneath his tunic.

Just feel. How soft she felt under his hands was… it was not falling into place. Just how? All their battles and close-calls, this made no sense to him. Cupping her jaw, he kept her standing, her knees felt weak. Not that he was faring any better. At this rate his stomach would somersault out of his throat. Opening his eyes, he watched her breathing through a half-open mouth.

“Slow enough?” he asked drawing circles on her cheek bone.

She chuckled, eyes shining in the dim light.

“Don’t know,” she teased starting to sway them as if they were dance partners, “How slow do _you_ want to take it?”

Him? He blinked in surprise. When had been the last time someone asked him what he preferred? Never. It was… he wasn’t quite sure what to feel or _do_. But here she was, pulling his intentions up by their feet and now the tables were turned.

What did he want?

Did he want to take it slow?

Still, this was a new field for him. For her as well.

Her smile grew, as she stepped on her toes. Nose rubbing against nose, mouth hovering over his. Somehow he had not expected her initiating this, but he was not going to complain either. Their mouths tentatively touched, more like a brush before they dove in. More like crushed against the other. What was breathing? Not important. He needed more.

Bliss exploded at the back of his skull and he had to bite back a groan. Eyes slid shut before they had to separate to breathe. His arms had slung around her upper back while hers were now wrapped around his neck.

“Slow enough?” she grinned, teeth flashing.

Stars… she was going to be the death of him one day, snorting he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Something he was alright with. The only person he was alright with holding that power.


End file.
